With This Ring
by Moon Called
Summary: Starfleet forces Captain James T. Kirk into an arranged marriage, with surprising results.
1. Chapter 1

**With This Ring** - Chapter 1

"Excuse me?" Jim said it like a plea, waiting-_praying-_-for a punch line. When one failed to arrive, he shot up out of his chair and began to pace like a caged animal, a tawny corded mass of restless energy and coiled strength. "Sir ... you've gotta be kidding me!"

"I'm afraid not, son," Admiral Pike said patiently with a smile. "Getting married is crucial to the success of this mission."

"Begging the Admiral's Pardon," Jim waved his hands at a PADD on the admiral's desk he had just read for emphasis, "but you didn't say anything about the 'getting married' part until _after_ I accepted the assignment!"

"I couldn't tell you anything about it until then because I have to follow orders too, Captain." Pike picked up the PADD with a **STARFLEET CONFIDENTIAL - EYES ONLY** label and deleted the three-page document.

"But sir, why does it have to be a _real_ marriage?"

"Starfleet wants an actual, well documented wedding, with an official marriage license on file, in the event anyone gets suspicious and decides to run a security check on Captain and Mrs. James T. Kirk."

Jim exhaled slowly. "Okay, but If the Federation believes this Xindi-Primate scientist wants to defect, why isn't this being handled by the Diplomatic Corp?"

Pike nodded. "Most defections _are_ handled on a diplomatic level, but point of fact is that as a captain of a starship whose primary mission is first contact, you are a _de facto_ representative of the Federation's Diplomatic Corp. In this instance, Starfleet feels-" the admiral paused with a look of concern. "Are you breaking out in hives?"

"It's the 'M' word, sir."

"I see." Pike's eyes twinkled with laughter. "Should I," he waved a hand, "call a doctor?"

"No sir," Jim scratched a patch of dark pink rash on his left hand. "That won't be necessary."

"Well ... I'll try to keep the rest of this conversation as painless as possible. Now, to answer your question, you're correct in saying that we aren't proceeding through regular channels, but there are reasons for Starfleet's direct interest. One reason is that this particular scientist, whose name is Cinth Zuenthal by the way, is under constant surveillance. Otherwise, he probably would have made it to a Starbase and asked for asylum by now. A recent Federation Intelligence report indicates that Dr. Zuenthal is the lead scientist on a project to develop some kind of powerful weapon-which would explain the close surveillance. Another reason is that the Xindi often trade weapons and intelligence with the Cardassians and the Klingons, both of whom are hostile to the Federation. That makes it a delicate diplomatic _and_ military mission. The report also mentioned that Dr. Zuenthal is getting married next month. The Admiralty decided it would be best to send a young newlywed couple to collect him ... along with Mrs. Zuenthal, of course."

Jim scratched the dark pink rash on the side of his neck. "But why not just send someone who's already married?"

Pike shook his head. "That's not possible. A Starfleet Captain is the lowest level in the cadre of officers deemed suitable to weld the diplomatic olive branch, and there just aren't many married captains in Starfleet. Even less of them are still active, and the few who are have been married for years. Altair VI may be a neutral planet that employs and hosts many species at its resorts, but the planet is near the edge of Federation territory and there is still an element of danger."

Jim rubbed his face in response and then leaned his forehead against the nearest wall.

"You were an assistant instructor in advanced hand-to-hand combat while you were a cadet at the Academy. That, along with other attributes, is one of the reasons why your name popped up to the top of the candidate list. Another reason is the notoriety you received two years ago after the Nero incident when the Federation's PR machine transmitted your face and story throughout the galaxy. That makes it less likely the Xindi Council will be suspicious if Dr. Zuenthal and his wife happen to approach you at the resort while he's on his honeymoon." He paused for a moment. "Did you know that Altair VI is the ..."

"... most popular honeymoon destination in the Galaxy. Yes sir, I know," Jim said. He pushed away from the wall and resumed pacing.

The Admiral leaned back in his chair and watched him. "Jim, you'll only be married long enough to complete the mission."

Jim paused and tilted his head. "And how long will that take?"

"About two months, tops."

"Two months ... eight weeks ... sixty-one days ... 1,464 hours ... 87,784 minutes ... 5,270,400 seconds."

"It's not a prison term, Jim."

"It might as well be."

Pike gave him an amused look before continuing. "The _Enterprise_ will be space-docked for the next two months for standard yearly maintenance, refitting, and supplies before you continue on with your five-year mission. There is also an order in to convert your quarters into a double suite suitable for a married couple. So-"

"Wait a minute, my-my quarters?"

"-you'll travel to Altair VI on a state-of-the-art interstellar class ship operated by one of those popular luxury cruise lines. Carnival, I believe. The ship is the _Venus_ something or another ... just a second." Pike swiveled his chair to the right and pressed the intercom.

"Yeoman Carter, what's the name of that Carnival cruise ship again? ... _Venus Flytrap_? ... _Venus Half-Shell_?"

_"It's the U.F.O.P. 'Venus Rising,' Admiral."_

"Yes, that's it."

_"I've just sent you the final estimate and payment receipt along with the rest of the cruise information."_

"Thank you Yeoman." He turned back to Jim. "Starfleet picked up the tab for your tickets and your Honeymoon suite on Altair VI ... oh, and we'll pick up the tab for the rings, too."

The other PADD on the Admiral's desk beeped. He picked it up and read the message, and then handed the PADD to Jim. "Yeoman Carter booked the," he made quotation marks with his fingers, 'Wedding Packet' cruise, so the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, and the reception will be held on board. Catering for the rehearsal dinner and the reception is part of the packet, along with the wedding cake. The menu, color scheme, and cake style will be up to you and your bride to be, but the ship's Executive Chef will need your choices before the end of this month. The packet also includes rooms and a two-night stay for the wedding party and immediate family; which means no one will have to navigate the trip home while three-sheets-to-the-wind after the reception, and we'll all get to wave _bon voyage_ to the happy couple the next day."

Jim reached a finger beneath the collar of his uniform on the back of his neck to scratch at the rash. "The happy couple ... right," he said dryly.

"The _Enterprise_ won't arrive at Altair VI until the day you're scheduled to leave. If Dr. Zuenthal approaches you before then, you'll just have to stall and put on a good show for the Xindi. We'll get your marriage annulled as quickly as possible once the assignment is over." Pike rubbed a hand across his mouth. "Of course, to support the whole 'coincidence' premise for you being on Altair VI at the same time as the Zuenthals, you'll have to stay married for two or three weeks after you bring the couple back to Earth."

"Oh! Fuck! Me!"

The admiral coughed. "Yes, well speaking of _that_ ... there'll be none of it, Jim, or the marriage won't be annulled."

"None of _it_ what ... you-you mean, no sex?"

"No sex."

Jim squinted and cocked his head to the side. "Can we define sex?"

"Consummation of a marriage is generally defined as the act of sexual penetration."

Jim rubbed his chin with a hand. "Can-Can we define penetration? I mean, are we talking fingers or-"

Pike raised an eyebrow. "We're talking about sexual intercourse, Captain Kirk. Would you like me to draw you a picture using stick figures?"

"Right ... right ... so technically, anything that doesn't involve actual fuck-"

"Jim!"

"Okay, okay, I got it. So," Jim said with a sigh, scratching at his ankle, "who exactly am I supposed to marry anyway?"

"Lieutenant Noyta Uhura."

Jim starred at him in shock. "Sir, with all due respect ... why Lieutenant Uhura?"

Admiral Pike picked up a stylus and tapped it against his desk. "I've checked both of your academic records. Your Xindi is good, but hers is excellent-all dialects."

Jim's look of shock turned into desperation. "Admiral, I-I know three or four bright, capable women in Starfleet with hand-to-hand experience who are also fluent in xeno languages. I'm sure any one of them would be _more_ than happy to accept this assignment."

Pike cleared his throat. "We ventured down the long list of your female acquaintances in Starfleet, but none of them could equal Lieutenant Uhura's communications skill set in Xenolinguistics. Quite frankly, we were at a loss until one of my advisors threw her name into the mix."

Jim leaned forward, elbows on his knees, fingering his hat in his hands. "She'll never agree to it, sir," he looked up, pinning Pike with a keen stare, "and which advisor?"

"She already has. Admiral Bennett briefed the Lieutenant this morning. By the way, is it true she tried to blackball your name from the list of _Treasurer_ candidates in the Xenolinguistics Club, _after_ she tried to blackball you from the club itself?"

"Yes sir, she did!" Jim laughed and sat up in his chair. "It was a glorious, if failed, coup d'état. She was President of the club at the time, too, so it was also a _serious_ abuse of power." A cocky smile full of admiration lit Jim's face. "The Lieutenant can be quite tenacious."

"So I've heard." Pike's smile faded. "But the two of you are friends now, right?"

Jim sighed. "It's more of a truce than anything, but yeah ... I guess you could call us that. And I _really_ don't wanna ruin whatever it is we've managed to build."

The Admiral gave him a shrewd look. "Then don't." He leaned over and pressed the intercom. "Yeoman Carter, you can show Lieutenant Uhura in now."

_"Yes, Admiral."_

Nyota entered the office and stood at attention. "At ease, Lieutenant. Please have a seat. I understand that you've been briefed on the assignment."

"Yes, sir."

"And was it explained that your family will be reimbursed for any expenses they incur on your behalf?"

"It was, sir."

"Good. Just turn in a general estimate of expenses once the assignment is over."

"Yes, sir."

Jim closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands. "I cannot believe you agreed to do this," he muttered.

Nyota raised her chin. "I didn't agree to it because of _you_, sir."

"Yeah, right ... just push the knife in a little deeper."

She looked at him, puzzled. "Excuse me?"

"Never mind," he said. "Begging the Admiral's pardon, but the Admiral never said who suggested the Lieutenant as the most likely candidate to accompany me on this mission."

"That subject is closed, Captain."

"Yes sir."

"Do you have any _other_ questions?"

Nyota sat up straighter in her chair. "Sir, did the Admiral explain the _no sex_ clause of this assignment to the Captain?"

Jim threw up his hands. "Oh for the ... unlock your chastity belt, Maid Marian, your _virtue_ is safe with me!"

"Anything else? Pike asked, biting back a smile.

Jim looked at Admiral Pike a moment and then leaned over and whispered something in Nyota's ear. "Yes," she replied with a smile.

"Sir. The Lieutenant and I would like to know if the Admiral would agree to perform the ceremony."

All Starfleet officers with the rank of Captain and above had Magisterial authority. Along with the official sanction to mediate civil and martial disputes and to try cases in both courts absent an established legal system or a higher ranking officer, Federation Magistrates were also authorized to officiate at wedding ceremonies. Jim had been asked to officiate a wedding on board the _Enterprise_ last year, but the ceremony was interrupted by an attack from a Romulan commander attempting to ride Nero's coattails. The attack came before the couple could finish thier vows, and the groom was killed in one of the exchanges.

Pike smiled at both of them. "I'd be honored."

"Thank you, sir."

The Admiral cleared his throat. "Now, there will have to be photographs and an announcement in the press. A starship captain honeymooning on Altair VI, especially one with your previous acclaim, will draw media attention. Try to use it to your advantage. Just remember, you cannot force or coerce the defection, Jim. Dr. Zuenthal must approach you. The Xindi Council will no doubt assign military personnel to shadow the good doctor and his bride."

Pike leaned forward with his elbows on the desk. "Neither of you will disclose any aspect or detail of this assignment. Absolutely no one is to know about this, no family member, best friend ... not even your senior staff or your First Officer is to know that this is a marriage in name only. This mission is extremely important to the Federation. Both of you will have to give a good performance, and I expect you to play your parts accordingly. That's a direct order."

"Yes sir."

"Understood, Admiral."

"Very well," Pike leaned back in his chair. "You're both dis-" He fixed Jim first with a bemused look, and then one ripe with speculation. "Why, Captain Kirk. Your hives are gone."

* * *

Jim turned to Nyota as soon as they left Admiral Pike's office. "Why are you doing this," he demanded.

Nyota lifted her chin and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm doing this for Gaila. She escaped her slave master and defected when she was fifteen-years-old. She once told me how hard it was for her ... the sleepless nights, the loneliness, the fear of discovery. I'm doing this for her."

He held her eyes in an intense stare. "And there's no other reason?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't have your propensity for duplicity, Captain."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Gaila told me about your little love note." Seeing his confused look, she elaborated. "The email she wasn't supposed to open and read until 3 pm? She begged me not to tell anyone that's how you managed to re-program the Kobayashi Maru. She felt so stupid."

Jim had nothing to say to that, so he stood silently and watched her walk away.

(to be continued)


	2. Chapter 2

_**With This Ring**_ - Chapter 2

It was easier for them to convince family and friends of their sincere desire to get married than Jim thought it would be. When he told Bones that he had asked Nyota to marry him and she had said yes, he expected to hear _"Are you out of your Goddamn mind, Jim?" _Instead, the good doctor bounced back and forth on his heels and his toes with his hands clasped behind his back and a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

"Congratulations, Jim!"

"Thanks. So ... you're not even a little surprised?"

"Nah, I always knew there was something special about the animosity that woman had for you."

"Does that include what she did during that Nautical Survival course our first year?"

"Well, looking back on it now in light of your engagement, I reckon she just didn't cotton much to the notion of you sticking your tongue down Rachel Thompson's throat."

"I didn't care dick about Rachel Thompson, Bones, you know that. Besides, _she_ kissed _me_."

"But that didn't stop you from kissing her back, now did it? Right there in that cramped lifeboat in front of everyone," he grinned, "including Uhura."

"How in the hell did she find out about me fucking Rachel anyway?"

"You mean, she knew before seeing the kiss?"

"She must have. She started treating me like the village idiot with a bad case of _cooties_ the next day. She didn't believe ... I didn't deliberately go after Rachel, you know that."

"Uh-huh."

"Ah come on, Bones, you were there! You opened the door! She flashed you, for Christ's sake!"

"Yeah ... only because I was on my way to work. Come to think of it, how in the hell did she know I was on a third-shift rotation?"

Jim waved a hand in dismissal. "My point is that Rachel came to _our_ dorm and knocked on _our_ door wearing nothing but a coat and a smile. And I was, as you may recall, a man on a sexual diet."

McCoy cocked an eyebrow. "As I recall, you were on that sexual diet because you'd promised a certain lady you would honor her wishes and wait until after the sixth date for her."

"It was one date a week, Bones ... and I _did_ wait! She said if we managed to have six dates without me groping her or otherwise trying to get into her panties, she would tell me her first name just before slipping out of something silk and sexy.

"Good God, man! You'd already made it through the fifth week. All you had to do was hang in there for five more days. Humph. Ask me, you got what was coming to you."

"She whacked me upside the head with an oar! How can you defend that?"

"Aw shoot, that was just a love tap. I only had to put in three stitches."

Jim rubbed the site of the old wound with a shame-faced wince. "Uh-huh. You know, Bones ... your-your accent gets thicker when you're excited."

"What accent?" McCoy asked, with a noticeable southern drawl.

"Riiight ... no one would ever guess you're from Georgia."

McCoy frowned. "Damn it, Jim! I'm a doctor, not a linguist! We can't _all_ be from Iowa, you know," he said with heavy sarcasm. "I guess that qualifies you to give me elocution lessons."

"Bones," Jim brought a hand to his chest, "you wound me with your caustic wit." He laughed at the cantankerous look on his friend's face. "Look, I was wondering if you'd stand by me at the ceremony as my Best Man."

The smile and bounce came back in a flash. "Of course I'll be your Best Man! Honored, sir, honored."

"I hate to interrupt your time with Joanna-"

McCoy waved his hand. "I'll bring Ladybug with me. She'll love it!"

"What ten-year-old girl doesn't love a wedding?" Jim said with a grin. "Thanks, bones." He turned to go, but McCoy called out to him before he reached the Turbolift.

"Jim, my grandma had a saying-'Women think in real time, and men think in dog years'."

Kirk squinted at his friend. "I-I'm not up on Southern proverbs. What exactly does that mean?"

"It means that you should have a chat with Uhura about Rachel Thompson, before she takes that long walk down the aisle."

"Why? Rachel Thompson is not the only woman I've been with in the last five years. She knows that."

"True, but Rachel Thompson is the only woman you got whacked for, isn't she?"

* * *

Jim called Spock into his Ready room just off the Bridge shortly after Alpha shift started.

Spock nodded at Nyota, "Lieutenant," before speaking to Jim. "You wished to see me, Captain?"

"Yeah, Spock, have a seat." Jim glanced at Nyota. "We ... ah ... we wanted to let you know that ... we're getting married."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Indeed?"

"We wanted you and Dr. McCoy to be the first ones to know," Nyota said with a gentle smile.

Spock looked back and forth between them. "I believe it is customary to offer congratulations at such a time." He held up his right hand in the Vulcan salute. "May your lives together be long and prosperous."

Nyota played with her hands for a moment before glancing up at Spock. "Thank you, but ... aren't you surprised?"

A small frown creased Spock's brow. "Surprised, Lieutenant? You and the Captain have spent a great deal of your downtime together now for 23 months, one week, three days, and sixteen hours. In addition, there appears to be a connection between the two of you that is most gratifying to see. Marriage seems ... logical."

Jim stared at Spock in bemusement. "Thank you, Mr. Spock," he said slowly.

Nyota was quicker to recover. "Spock ... we would like very much ... we hope you and T'Pring will be able to attend the ceremony."

Spock gave her a slight bow. "We would be honored to attend. Is there anything else, Captain?"

"Ah ... no, Mr. Spock. You're dismissed."

Nyota left as well, leaving Jim alone with his thoughts.

He had been concerned about how Spock would take the news. He had talked to Nyota and Spock together and separately after their relationship ended. They were two of his most valued senior staff members, and he needed to know if they would be able to maintain their professional relationship. They both convinced him that they were at peace with their decision. When he spoke to her alone, Nyota explained the reason for their break up.

It seems that T'Pring, Spock's betrothed with whom he had bonded at the age of seven, was off planet on a scientific excursion when Nero destroyed Vulcan. Spock lost his mother, but T'Pring lost everyone. Her pain and anguish over the lost of her family and her planet enhanced Spock's own sense of loss. Their combined pain helped to strengthen the bond between them, which had all but disappeared during his involvement with Nyota. Aside from their mental bond, Spock and T'Pring shared a connection through their common history, culture, tradition, and sameness that Nyota could never hope to comprehend-despite her extensive knowledge of Vulcan culture and languages.

The depth and breadth of Spock's sense of loss helped Nyota-helped them both-to understand that she was not the right woman for him. As she explained it, Nyota accepted that Spock and T'Pring had a profound foundation upon which to build a life. In fact, Nyota was the one who encouraged Spock to visit New Vulcan and explore his bond with T'Pring. She was not surprised, and indeed seemed sincerely pleased, to learn of Spock's marriage upon his return to the _Enterprise_. Nyota also suggested that T'Pring, a geoscientist and geologist, might consider enrolling in the special two-year accelerated program at Starfleet Academy, compressing four years into two, designed specifically for scientists who trained at the Vulcan Science Academy. There was nothing on New Vulcan for T'Pring without Spock. After completing the program, she would be able to join Spock on the _Enterprise_ as part of the Geosciences department.

T'Pring was due to graduate from the program at the end of the month.

* * *

The next task was to contact their families. Jim could feel Nyota's frustration at his lack of enthusiasm for the endeavor. She was the only person other than Bones who knew just how hard _family_ was for him.

They had talked a bit about his life growing up in Iowa over the past two years. Nyota had chipped away at him until enough of his shell cracked and flaked for her to get a sense of what life had been like for him. Once, when her eyes became moist, Jim knew that Nyota had gleaned more from what he said about his stepfather-_Uncle Frank_, he'd been told to call his stepfather, _Uncle Frank-_-than he had intended. She probably gathered volumes from the extremely little he had to say about his mother as well ... but he didn't care dick about that.

Nyota knew about the infamous 'red car' incident-when he drove his father's 1965 Corvette Stingray over the cliff into a quarry. That car, an antique model in _cherry_ condition, had been the only tangible connection he had to his father. One day Jim discovered that Uncle Frank was going to sell the car, was going to sell something George Kirk had dearly loved. So at the ripe old age of ten, Jim took the corvette on a glory ride at mach 90 plus, and then he sent it on to his father.

Nyota knew about the six months Jim spent in a juvenile detention center when he was thirteen, because that experience explained why he became so good at hand to hand fighting, why he'd studied martial arts. She also knew about his father's best friend, Jake Wilson, who picked Jim up from the police station once or twice without letting his mother know. Nyota smiled when he told her that the Wilsons had him over to their house every year for his birthday and Christmas, even if his mother was planet side.

So he knew she understood how hard it was for him. Jim bitched and moaned so much about it, Nyota had finally suggested they contact their families together. Therefore, she was seated beside him in his quarters when his mother asked if Jim had _knocked_ Nyota up.

"Excuse me?" Nyota asked with wide eyes.

"Well, why else would you marry him?" She nodded her head with sudden understanding. "Oh I see, you found out about his piggy bank, didn't you?"

"What?" Nyota asked, confused.

"It's nothing," Jim said as he glanced from Nyota back to the screen. "Mom, it might surprise you to know that I _do_ have a few good qualities."

Winona laughed. "Why, because of the uniform? Because of the Captains braids on your cuffs?" She looked at Nyota. "He's been nothing but trouble since the day he destroyed my husband's car."

A vein throbbed on Jim's right temple. "That was my father's car. It didn't belong to Uncle Frank!"

"I gave it to him! It was _his_," his mother hissed.

Nyota put her hand on Jim's arm before he could respond. "What we'd like to know, Ma'am, is if you'll be able to make it to our wedding. I'm guessing that 'Uncle Frank' is a definite _no_."

Winona narrowed her eyes. "You did it deliberately, didn't you? Disrespected Frank ... disobeyed me ... just to make our lives hell. The worst part was that my fellow officers looked at me as if it was somehow all _my_ fault! George would have been so disappointed in you."

"Yeah? Well, I might have been the Boy Scout you wanted if you'd stayed planet side more often when I was little and-" Jim stopped himself from saying _"needed you"_.

"When I _was_ planet side I spent most of my time picking you up from detention or the Principal's office at school. It was so humiliating! Answering a summons from Juvenile Court or dealing with the angry parents of some stupid girl who got an early sex education from you." Winona shook her head. "Drinking, selling Andorian Dream Leaf-"

"You said if I wanted a motorcycle I had to pay for it myself. There weren't many viable job options for 15-year-old boys."

"-and smoking it,-"

"I stopped smoking Leaf when I started selling it." Jim glanced at Nyota. "Smoking the product is bad business."

"-gambling, fighting, whoring," she gave Nyota a snide look. "Don't fool yourself into thinking you'll be the only one, sweetie." She glared at Jim. "He is _nothing_ like his father!"

Nyota gave Winona a scathing look. "I guess that's a definite _no_ for you as well, then," she said. "Jim may have his faults, Commander Kirk," she cocked an eyebrow at the older woman, "as do we all, but he's smart, resourceful, loyal, and courageous. With just two years at the helm of the _Enterprise_ and at only twenty-seven-years old, your son is already ranked as one of the finest starship captains in the Fleet!"

"Now just a min-"

"We won't detain you from your duties any longer, Ma'am. Goodbye." Uhura leaned forward and ended the transmission. They watched Commander Kirk's shocked face fade from the screen.

She looked at Jim, her large brown eyes moist and bright with anger. "My _God_ ... how did you survive?" She ran a hand up and down his arm gently, protectively, so contrary to the look on her face. "How did you survive?"

Jim did the only thing he could do. He pulled her into his arms. After a minute or two of shared comfort, she pulled away. The tears she had stubbornly held back finally flowed down her cheeks.

"Did ... did your Uncle Frank ... did he?" Her eyes asked the question a psychologist had asked Jim during his Academy intake screening. Bones had once asked it as well.

"No ... never," he told her honestly. "He beat the shit out of me whenever the mood hit him, but he never touched me that way."

Jim wanted many things from Nyota, but he didn't want her pity. He took her face between his hands and brushed away her tears, then leaned his forehead against hers.

"Listen," he whispered, "that child you're mourning was brittle, but he didn't break. Do you hear me, Nyota? He was brittle, but he _did not break._

She pulled back again and looked at him, her teeth biting her bottom lip. "Jake ... the Wilsons took care of you?"

He smiled with a shrug. "They did what they could. Jake owns three bars, the one where I met you and two more near the University. The bars take up a lot of his time. He and Hanna ... that's his wife's name, Hanna ... took more of an interest in me after I spent those six months in Juvie. They kept me in school, inspired me to go, really. Now, I'm not saying I didn't get into trouble from time to time, but they hung in there with me. Jake taught me how to play cards, how to ride and fix motorcycles. Jake's the one who gave me the 'sex' talk when I was eleven, and he taught me what to look out for when I started doing the yani-yani."

Nyota laughed, and Jim relaxed.

"The yani-yani? I haven't heard it called that since high school. And how old were you then ... twelve?"

"No," Jim ducked his head. "I was fifteen."

"I'll bet she was twenty-five," Nyota teased.

He grinned. "You know, Jake told me that he and my Dad raised a lot of hell in their teens, so I come by it honestly. My Dad inherited the corvette the year he graduated from the academy, before he met my Mom. Jake said he and Dad used to tear up the countryside and pick up girls in that car whenever Dad was home on leave. Jake met Hanna soon after Dad met Mom."

"Does Jake have any kids?"

"Yeah, he's got a daughter five years older than me and twin sons ten years younger than me." At Nyota's puzzled look, he explained. "The twins were sort of a ... surprise. His daughter Cami, short for Camille, is in Starfleet."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's a clinical psychologist at Starbase Five. She graduated near the top of her class, too. I'd love to have her on board the _Enterprise_."

Nyota grinned and gave him an affectionate hug. He could live with affection.

"All better?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Well then, let's call Jake and give him the news." He punched in a private transmitter code-JAW851-and they waited for someone to answer. A few seconds later, the screen burst into vivid color, life, and sound. Someone leaned back from the screen and a yellow and white kitchen came into view. Two teenage boys with mink brown hair sat at a table that was set for a meal.

"Jim? Hey Mom, Dad, it's Jim! He's in his uniform and he's got some awesome babe with him, too!"

"Eric!" a woman's voice admonished. "That is _not_ how you greet people over the transmitter!" A man with salt and pepper hair and woman with honey-blond hair came into view carrying between them a platter full of meat, a bowl of mashed potatoes, what looked like steamed asparagus, and rolls. "I'm sorry about that, Jim," the woman said as she and the man placed the food on the table. She gave the screen a serious look and put her hand on the man's arm. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing like that. I have some news for you guys ... hey, is-is that roast beef?" Nyota elbowed him in the side. "Right, right ... um, Jake, Hanna, Eric, Eli ... I'd like you to meet Lieutenant Nyota Uhura. We, uh-mm ... we're getting married."

The Wilsons greeted the news with silence. Jake leaned forward, as if he were waiting for something.

Jim gave the older man a puzzled look. "Jake, man ... what-what are you doing?"

Jake looked at his wife and then back at the screen. "I'm just ... waiting for the punch line."

Jim laughed. "Yeah, I know _exactly_ how you feel, but there's no punch line. We're getting married."

The Wilson family broke into smiles.

"Hey Jim," Eric looked at Nyota and nudged Eli, they each held up a thumb and nodded, "nice, man, nice," they said in unison.

"Boys, really," Hanna said.

Jake nodded sagely. "So, this is the one, huh?"

"Yep, this is the one."

"Oh, Jim," Hanna gushed, "I'm so happy for you. Nyota, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Thank you. It's wonderful to meet you as well, Mrs. Wilson. Jim has told me so much about your family."

"Please, call me Hanna. So ... when are you two getting married?"

Jim and Nyota filled them in on the details.

"Two nights on board an interstellar Carnival luxury cruise ship? Oh Yeah! Wait until the guys hear about this!" Eli crowed.

"Now wait a minute, boys," Jake said. "That's only for the wedding party and immediate family members."

Jim looked at his hands. "You _are_ my immediate family. That's how you'll be listed on the ships manifest."

Hanna frowned. "What about Winona?"

"Commander Kirk declined our invitation," Nyota replied in a manner that prompted Jake and Hanna to look first at her and then at Jim.

"I see. I'm sorry, Jim," Jake said gently.

Hanna cleared her throat. "Nyota, did Jim happen to mention that I'm an event planner?"

Nyota fell back against her chair in relief. "Oh my God, that is _so_ fabulous! I know my mother is going to faint when I tell her how soon we're getting married. Is it okay if I have her get in touch with you?"

Hanna beamed. "Of course! Other than the dress, the most difficult tasks have already been dealt with-location, catering, and the cake. Now you'll just have to choose a menu, a cake design, music, and a color scheme. December isn't exactly a peak period for weddings, so I can probably find you a good dress designer from my contact list who might not mind a short notice assignment. Or I can recommend Bridal houses, if you prefer. So just tell your mother to take deep breathes and relax. I'll handle the invitations, decorations, band selection, flowers, and help with the guest lists and anything else you need for no charge. This will be our wedding gift to you."

"Thank you so much!"

"Hanna, I ... thank you," Jim said, his voice full of affection and gratitude.

"You're both very welcome. Just forward me a copy of the event agreement when you get a chance. I may find provisions for a band from the ship's on-board orchestra hidden somewhere in the small print."

"I will."

"Remember those words," Jake said. The smug looked vanished from his face when Hanna elbowed him in the ribs.

Jim grinned and winked at Hanna. "Listen, we're gonna let you guys get back to your dinner. Will you give Cami the news?"

"We sure will, Jim. Talk to you soon, buddy," Jake said. Then he ended the transmission.

Jim exhaled. "Well, two down and one to go."

"I sent my parents a delayed message to call me, but it's still early in Botswana. They won't be up for at least another hour."

Jim wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "You wanna fool around to pass the time?"

Nyota crossed her arms over her chest. "Exactly what part of _"no sex or no annulment"_ didn't you understand?"

Jim smiled. He could live with _annoyed_, too. "Oh we can fool around, we just can't have sex."

She blinked at him. "Captain-"

"Ah, ah, ah ... it's 'Jim' or 'James' unless we're on duty."

She arched an eyebrow. "Jim. It's _all_ sex."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"Nyota," he laughed, "not everything that's wet, sticky, and pleasurable is sex."

"What do you call masturbation?"

"I call it a therapeutic massage from Rosie Palm." He showed her his right hand.

Nyota rolled her eyes. "And oral sex?"

"I call it an artful variation of the French kiss, otherwise known as foreplay."

"It's a sexual act!"

"It's just fooling around!"

She put a hand against her forehead and closed her eyes. "Anytime you have an orgasm, you're having sex."

He held up a finger and shook his head. "Ah-ha, but within the context of our assignment, It's _not_ considered sex unless there's penetration."

A frown creased her brow. "Define penetration."

"Well it's-"

"Never mind!" Then she gasped. "You asked?"

"I asked." He moved closer to her, close enough to ignite the electric energy between them. The approximate distance was about 25.4 centimeters. He had made that discovery the first night they met in Riverside. "You're not the only one with a talented tongue, you know," he said suggestively.

Her reaction was not what he had expected. He expected enticing shivers and hitched breaths, but what he got was Miss Priss and Manners.

"Oh I know all about your talented tongue. Rachel Thompson just _raved_ about your talented tongue," her eyes flicked down to his groin, "and everything else, to anyone who would listen!"

He leaned back in surprise. "What?"

_"Bridge to Captain Kirk."_

Nyota whipped her head around, unintentionally smacking Jim's face with her ponytail, and flounced over to the other side of the room in a huff.

"Kirk to Bridge ... what is it, Lieutenant Burns?" He silently cursed himself when he heard the bite in his voice.

_"Captain, we have a transmission for Lieutenant Uhura. She said we should check with you if the transmission was routed back to Communications."_

Jim looked over at Nyota. "Lieutenant Uhura is here, patch it through."

_"Yes, sir ... patching through now."_

Alima and Razi Uhura appeared on the screen wearing white sleep robes, seated at a square wooden table in a screened patio-probably a private _boma_ or eatting area off their bedroom-with a wooden roof and slanting sides for shade. Jim watched the sun crest over Razi's right shoulder, casting a golden halo across the Kalahari Desert.

Nyota's parents lived at a safari resort in one of fifteen luxury vilas they rented out throughout the year.

The elder Uhuras were both zoologists. As Nyota had explained it to Jim, her parents bought the resort when she was five years old. By doing so, they were able to fund the daily operation of their animal hospital, which was associated with a small privately owned wildlife reserve on the Kalahari Desert. They also ran an on-site orphanage for rejected baby animals with a staff that cared for them until they were old enough to rejoin their herds. Some members of the Uhura family worked at the Wildlife Reserve as park rangers, some worked for the resort as tour guides and safari hosts, and Alima's two brothers and their wives ran the resort. Alima and Razi kept twenty-five percent of the revenue for living expenses, medical supplies, feed, and equipment. Another twenty-five percent went to the up keep of the reserve-fences, animal transport and such. And fifty percent went toward employee salaries.

The reserve had been in the care of the Uhura family for over one hundred years. Before the continent became unified as the United States of Africa, the Botswana government, desperate for revenue, began selling off parts of their wildlife reserves. Razi's great-grandfather secured a loan and bought the small reserve on the northern border of the Kalahari near the Konobi River. The Kalahari Desert Wildlife Reserve, as it was now called, survived after the other reserves were sold. Uhura's great-grandfather went before the Federation Council and petitioned for protection under the law and more land to help house the animals the reserve rescued before they could be destroyed. It was now one of only two wildlife reserves on the entire African continent.

Alima, a regal older version of Nyota, yawned demurely behind a delicate hand. Her eyebrows rose slightly when she noticed that Nyota wasn't alone. She reached over and squeezed Razi's hand when she saw the frown on her daughter's face.

"Nyota, what is wrong?"

Nyota visibly forced herself to smile. "Nothing, mama ... we, ah, just had a few words, that's all."

"You had words with your Captain? This is permitted?" Her father asked with a frown of his own.

"No, baba, it's not what you think." Nyota hastened to explain.

Jim smoothly interceded. "Dumela, rra (_Hello, Sir_)." Dumela, mma (_Hello, Madam_)." O tsogile jang? (_How are you?_)"

He was well aware that all Bantu people spoke some form of Swahili, but they were from different tribal groups scattered across several African nations. Swahili was the universal language Bantu tribes used to communicate with each other, just as English was the common intergalactic Federation language, but each tribal group had its own language, or a language adopted or adapted from the country in which they lived. For the Bantu tribal group of the Niger-Congo Language family living in Botswana, that language was Tswana or Setswana. More importantly, he could tell by the look on their faces that Nyota's parents were impressed.

"Re tsogile sentle, rra, (_We are well, sir,_)" Alima responded with due courtesy to his formal greeting. "Wena, o tsogile jang? (_How are you?_)"

"Ke tsogile sentle, mma, (_I am well, madam,_)" Jim replied with a bright smile.

Nyota beamed at him and then faced the screen. "I have news." She paused and took Jim's hand hesitently in hers. "Captain Kirk and I ... I mean, Jim and I are getting married."

"Ah," Razi said, as if that explained things, and then, "Ah! That is news indeed!"

"But this is wonderful news!" Alima exclaimed. "Show us your ring!"

"We don't actually _have_ a ring yet," Jim explained. "I'm having one specially designed for Nyota."

"I see. Well, let me me know if you need any advice on merchants," Razi offered with a smile. "If there is something we know about in Botswana, it's diamonds."

"Thank you sir."

"Nyota, how did this happen?" Alima asked softly, with a secretive gleam in her eyes.

Jim was intrigued by the look on Nyota's face.

"I ... we've spent a lot of time together, since the break up ... with Spock, I mean. And it ... it just happened."

Now there was amusement in Alima's eyes. "I see," she said with a smile. "So then, when are you getting married?"

Between the two of them, Jim and Nyota explained the details, including Hanna's generous offer of help.

"Are you certain Mrs. Wilson is willing to do so much without payment?" Alima asked anxiously.

"Yes, Mrs. Uhura-"

"Alima, please."

Jim ducked his head and smiled. "Alima. The Wilsons are like family to me. Hanna said this was their wedding present to us, and most of the cost is covered in the Carnival wedding packet."

"That's right, mama. So the only real cost to Hanna will be the wedding invitations and the cost for her time, for which we are grateful."

"Yes," Alima released a held breath, "we are very grateful to her. Jim, you must complile your list of names as soon as possible ... and how many groomsmen you will have as well, so we can have the right number of bridesmaids."

"Mama, we really don't want a large wedding."

"Oh poosh-pa, girl! This is your wedding! And of course you must have a designer make your gown, Nyota. I will contact Mrs. Wilson right away and ask her to find us the best designer!"

"I'll send Hanna my list of names tomorrow," Jim promised.

"Good, very good. Oh there is so much to do! And Bibi will be so happy with the news!"

Jim gave Nyota a quizical look. "Bibi?"

"My father's mother."

Razi rose from his chair. "I will get her-"

"No!" Nyota blurted out. "No, baba ... I'll call her later. It's almost time for my shift, so I'd better go. The _Enterprise_ will be in space-dock for the next two months, so you can reach me at home in San Francisco after tomorrow."

"All right," Alima nodded. "It will take me a couple of weeks to arrange things here, but I'll come to San Francisco as soon as I can. Oh there is so much to do!"

"Kiss bibi for me, baba."

"I will. Jim, I look forward to spending time with you."

Jim smiled. "Me too, sir. Goodbye." Jim ended the transmission and glanced over at Nyota.

"So ... what was that all about?" He leaned a hip against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What was what about?"

"You know, that look on your face when your mother asked how we'd gotten together ... not wanting to talk to your Bibi?"

Nyota raised her chin. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Then she turned and fled his quarters.

* * *

Later that afternoon Jim made a ship-wide announcement about their engagement. The Bridge crew, Sulu and Chekov in particular, shared secret smiles but otherwise didn't seem that surprised at the news. In fact, Jim was completely surprised by the _lack_ of surprise from his crew. Even Cupcake, wearing a huge shit-eating grin, stopped Jim coming out of the Turbolift to offer his congratulations.

The next day, the _Enterprise_ space-docked at Starbase One above Earth, and the crew disembarked for a two-month leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**With This Ring** - Chapter 3

Good food, good company, and excellent Scottish ale all merged to give Jim a damn fine buzz. He leaned back in the wooden booth and lent half a lazy ear to Scotty and Keenser as they discussed a new theory about something called quantum filaments. The theory suggested these filaments might affect the warp core's magnetic containment field.

Jim closed his eyes for a moment and soaked up the heady atmosphere with his senses. He really loved a good bar-always had-even when the bar was disguised as a pub. _The Witch's Teat_ was a British pub with a decidedly Scottish ambiance. Leave it to Scotty to know the perfect place where a man could find the best fish and chips and porterhouse steak side by side on the menu. The ass-kicking ale was just the cherry on top.

Scotty and Keenser had remained on board the Enterprise for two weeks after the ship was space-docked in order to oversee special refitting of the intermix chamber, a device that monitored and adjusted plasma pressure within the warp core.

Jim smiled. The Starfleet Engineering technicians were not at all pleased with Scotty's presence or his blatant disregard of their requests for him to stop looking over shoulders during repairs. Jim received increasingly hostile daily complaints on his PADD about his Chief Engineer over the course of the two weeks, but he didn't care dick about that. The Enterprise was as much Scotty's Lady as she was his, and they both loved her fiercely.

The Starfleet team installed the final component late that afternoon, so his two engineers would head home in the morning. He wouldn't see them again until the wedding rehearsal on board the _Venus Rising_.

Well-fed and pleasantly buzzed, Jim allowed his mind to drift to his upcoming wedding.

Hanna, true to her word, sent the wedding invitations out three days after they called her family with the news. She and Alima must have held a marathon session to pull it all together. Jim certainly never expected to receive a draft of the invitation for approval so soon:

_Razi and Alima Uhura request the honor of your  
presence at the marriage of their daughter  
Nyota Aziza Uhura  
Lieutenant, U.S.S. Enterprise  
Starfleet  
to  
Captain James Tiberius Kirk  
U.S.S. Enterprise  
Starfleet  
on Friday, the eighteenth of December  
two thousand two hundred and sixty  
at five o'clock  
The Neptune Ballroom  
U.F.O.P. Venus Rising  
Reception will follow ceremony_

The invitation arrived on his PADD in the shape of an ivory male lion, with _Invitation to a Wedding_ engraved across the body in gold lettering. When he clicked within the body of the lion, it unfolded and became a square piece of elegant ivory paper ... very chic. He consulted with Nyota and they approved it and responded to Hanna right away.

Although Nyota opted to wear a gown, they decided upon a military wedding and Honor Guard with Alima's blessing. She found the notion of the bride and groom, and the wedding party, walking down the aisle under raised sabers after the ceremony both charming and fitting. They had a harder time dissuading her from her dream of a _large_ wedding for her daughter. They stood firm and agreed to only the Best Man and four groomsmen, and a Matron of Honor and four Bridesmaids. They worked harder still to convince Spock and T-Pring to be a part of their ceremony. However, once the ceremony was explained to them, T-Pring agreed to be Matron of Honor and Spock agreed to be a groomsman. Chekhov, Scotty, and Sulu would round out the groomsmen, while Christine Chapel and three of Nyota's cousins would be the bridesmaids.

Jim suddenly realized that it was quiet at his table. He cracked open an eye and found Keenser and Scotty scrutinizing him.

"Had a wee bit too much, have yew now laddy?"

"Scotty, my man, this shit is lethal and utterly buzz worthy."

"Ocht, it's mild as mother's milk." He held up his tumbler. "Now scotch, that's a man's drink."

Keenser's shinny black eyes flicked from side to side. "I use it to strip grease from gears."

Jim laughed.

Scotty ignored them both and raised his glass. "Here's to your bonnie lass, Captain Kirk. May all your bairns look like their mother."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome. She's a match for yew, none better."

"Pretty and smart," Keenser said with a nod.

"And not afraid to whack Yourself upside the head neither. Now, there's a lass!"

"How-how do you know about that?"

"Well, I've been sort of keeping company with Lieutenant Wallace, Megan Wallace, that is ... a good Scottish lass even though she's generations away from knowing the truth of it. Anyway, after your engagement announcement, Megan gave me a bit of history. It seems she was in the lifeboat the day Uhura whacked your noggin. Now, my mind was on other matters at the time as we were about to, you know ... but from what I gathered, the girls all thought Uhura was jealous because you and Rachel Thompson were hot and heavy and at it like rabbits."

"What? No, we were only together that one night."

"Aye, there was Uhura clutching the oar mad as a tick, and there was Rachel Thompson looking like a cat in the cream, with yew in between the two of them, bleeding like a stuck pig. Wish I'd been there to see it for me self."

"Scotty, you're not hearing me, man. It was only one time."

"Sure and that's why yew kissed her like a man sucking his last breath."

"No, no ... _she_ kissed _me_!"

Keenser shook his head with a frown. "Two women you like, together in one boat? Captain is not a smart man."

Jim slammed his glass on the table and shouted. "I only fucked her once!"

The pub went deadly silent, and then exploded with applause.

* * *

The next evening Jim visited Nyota at her townhouse in Bernal Heights and slipped a four-carat, three-stone ruby and diamond engagement ring onto her finger. The gold ring, with an oval cut diamond nestled between two ruby hearts, had been custom made especially for her.

She looked at the ring in awe. "Starfleet was supposed to buy the rings," she whispered.

"Yeah, well ... this will probably be the only time I'll ever do this, so I figured ..."

They shared a look ... a moment.

"It's beautiful, but you didn't have to buy me an engagement ring."

"I know, but I wanted to."

"This must have cost you a fortune! I can't ... Jim, you can't possibly afford this."

"Yeah I can," he chuckled. "When we made it back to Earth after the Nero incident, I found a letter waiting for me at the Academy from a legal firm. It seems that I came into a Trust when I turned twenty-five. My Mom was the sole beneficiary on my Dad's insurance policy when he died; but he had a caveat in his will that called for an equal share of the funds to be set aside in a Trust for any children not named at the time of his death. The credits in that Trust sat in a bank for twenty-five years, Nyota. Believe me, I can afford this."

"Oh. So _that's_ what your mother meant about your piggy bank."

"She probably thinks I gambled half of it away and spent the rest in a house of ill repute. The truth is, you, bones, and Admiral Pike are the only people I've told about the Trust."

Nyota gave him a keen look. "Admiral Pike is your father figure, isn't he? Not Jake."

"Jake's always been more like a big brother to me, even when I was young. Admiral Pike? Yeah, he's exactly what I'd like to think my Dad would have been."

Nyota smiled, then glanced down at the ring on her finger. "I'll take good care of it and give it back to you once this assignment is over."

"Nah, it's yours to keep."

For the second time in his life, Jim offered his heart to a woman, even if she wasn't aware of it. It was a scary-ass feeling, considering the emotional scars he had from the first time.

"Jim ..."

Then again, perhaps she _was_ aware. The way she said his name and the look in her eyes encouraged him to lean in for a kiss.

The moment their lips met, the kiss deepened. Her throaty moan elicited a deeper one from him. When she stroked her tongue against his soft palate, he pressed her against the nearest wall and slid down a tad so that he could rub his throbbing hardness against her mound. The reaction to that was so intense, they both slid to the floor ... clinging and clutching, rubbing and palming, grinding intensely, desperately. He had just enough strength of will left to flip onto his back, clutching her on top of his body, kneading her ass.

Their need made them clumsy. The attempt to undress each other only yielded her top and bra and his shirt, with his tee shirt hanging precariously off his left shoulder. She moaned his name and anchored her legs around his thighs when his hands and mouth found her nipples. Her hands wove patterns of liquid fire on his skin ... his arms, his chest, his neck, and his face. Her sensual mouth suckled and licked his lips like pieces of ripe fruit and her tongue schooled his in a new rhythm. The dragging motion of her swollen Mons and against his swollen length was sweet torture, even through their clothes.

It had been a while for both of them-not since Spock for her, and not since the last shore leave, five months before, for him. The hard fast grind was far too intense to last. When her orgasm hit, the hot, wet zinging suction of her mouth at a spot just beneath his right ear pushed him over the brink as well. They rode an intoxicating wave through an eternity of labored breathes, stinging pleasure, and soul wrenching mews and moans.

Finally, Nyota pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and crawled away from him.

"Jim ... James, you've got to go," she said.

The rich silky sound of her voice, like a sated purr, made him hard again. It took him a moment to comprehend what she had said. "Huh? What ... why?"

"You have to leave. My family will be here in the morning."

"So," he teased. "We're two consenting adults, and we're engaged." His voice held a moon-kissed Jack Daniels purr of its own. He smiled as her body reacted to it, then he sat up and reached for her.

She moved further away from him. "No, we're two Starfleet officers _pretending_ to be engaged."

He glared at her, the mood broken. There was no sense in saying he was only _pretending_ to pretend. She already knew that. "Oh you are _so_ not gonna get away with denying what just happened!"

She lifted her chin, and suddenly she was Miss Priss and Manners again. "I am _not_ denying the chemistry between us, but this was ... it shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry."

"Yeah? Well that's a strange assessment, considering the wet spot you left on the front of my pants."

"Captain ..."

"Okay!" He grabbed his shirt and slowly got to his feet. "You want me gone? I'm outta here."

"Thank you," she said primly.

"Hey, no problem!"

His intent had been to leave, but he paused at the door and looked back at her, really looked at her; huddled on the floor with her back against the wall, clutching an accent pillow from her couch against her chest like a lifeline. He couldn't leave it like this. He would not allow her to slip back into the armor she wore for protection against him, and him alone.

"You think it's all been about the chase, don't you?" He leaned by the door with his hands in his pants pockets, acutely aware of the sticky wetness cooling against his groin. He smiled at her when she looked up at him with those large, doe-soft brown eyes. "My hard-on for you hasn't got dick to do with the chase, and everything to do with you. Good night, babe."

"Jim?"

He stopped again and turned to face her.

"Two years ago, even last year," her eyes raked his face and body, "you would have used those wicked blue eyes, that clever mouth, and those talented hands of yours to force the issue and seduce me into letting you stay." Her sultry look turned to one of wonder. "You really have grown, haven't you?"

He gave her a pained look. "Yeah, I'm a real prince."

"No," she shook her head and smiled. "You're a Starfleet Captain and a gentleman."

Jim winked at her and walked out the door. He was on his motorcycle and half-way back to the Academy before he realized it was raining.

* * *

Nyota laid in a fetal position with a pillow between her legs, wishing it were Jim. Her bed seemed bigger and colder than usual. She could still smell him and taste him. And oh, God in Heaven, his eyes ... his eyes were like pools of hot, blue lava. She could drown in them.

The heat between them was, she knew all too well, rare, and intoxicating. She couldn't let her guard down around him again ... could she? He was still the same man who fucked his way alphabetically through half the girls in their class at the Academy ... wasn't he? In all fairness, she knew he hadn't really slept with as many girls as people thought. He had become sort of an Urban Legend at the Academy, and she suspected people embellished or invented many of the tales she'd heard about him.

She had always been attracted to strong men. If Spock was a maelstrom, a violent whirlpool beneath a placid ocean surface, then Jim was a perfect storm; that uncommon and unusual occurrence of warm air from a low-pressure system, cool air from a high-pressure system, and tropical heat. When combined together, these three elements created a storm so violent it raged both above and below surface and destroyed everything in its path. Both men were strikingly masculine without effort, the strong sun that Nyota's Bibi said encouraged women to open their petals to the light.

She had loved Spock, but not once had she felt inclined to pick up something and whack him. That urge couldn't be good ... could it?

That night she met Jim at the roadhouse bar she sensed he was a wild, impetuous man on a harrowing roller coaster ride through life; but what she never imagined was that one day she would want to take the ride with him ... but would she? Could she really trust him that way?

He was bright as hell, gifted and brilliant in a nonchalant manner that humbled her. They had a rather intense rivalry at the Academy. She destroyed the bell-curve for half their class, and Jim destroyed it for the other half. He still humbled her with his intelligence in small ways. Once they were sitting in the recreation room and she had just pulled up the Sunday New York Times Intergalactic Puzzle on her PADD, ready to settle in and work on it for a couple of hours. She got up to replicate some tea, stopping to say a quick word to Christine on the way back, and when she returned to her seat, the puzzle was finished. She stared at Jim in shock and he gave her a 'what, like its hard?' look. It was the freaking Sunday New York Times Intergalactic Puzzle!

She turned over in bed and punched her pillow. She still couldn't believe he had actually been screwing Rachel Thompson at the same time she thought he was waiting for her. She didn't want to believe it at first, but Rachel showed her a photo she had taken with her PADD of Jim lying naked and asleep after they'd made love, and then he had the nerve to put on that shameless display in that lifeboat. She turned over and punched her pillow again. What was she thinking? Men like Jim didn't change ... did they? She flipped onto her back and said 'lights' so that she could look at her ring.

If only he had waited ...

(to be continued)


End file.
